Herbal preparations have received enormous attention as potential preventive strategies or treatments for age-related problems or changes in the brain. A visit to your local health food store or pharmacy will help you appreciate the large variety of herbal diet supplements available.

Herbals have become a genuinely big business in the last few years. By some estimates, at least one-third of Americans have tried herbal medicines, for which they spend at least $4 billion per year.

The major difficulty with this burgeoning ‘nutraceutical’ industry is the scarcity of systematic studies to tell us which of these preparations really work. How do you know whether these compounds are what they claim? Since they are not considered to be either a food or drug, there is no regulation by the FDA of the safety, potency, or claims made regarding these products.

If you are thinking about taking a supplement to boost your memory, you should ask three basic questions about it, or indeed about any health product you take:

What is in it?

Is it safe?

Is there any evidence that it works?

You should also think about what you can afford, and any other drugs and medicines you might be taking. For example, gingko is often touted as an herbal supplement to aid memory, but it often interacts with other over the counter and prescription medicines.

As with all pills, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

One other caveat: just because it is ‘natural’ does not mean it’s safe.